Supporting Research

The GoStrengths family of programs rests upon concepts from various scientific disciplines including positive psychology and neuroscience. Below are specific academic studies and texts referenced in each program.

While the ETR acronym is unique to GoStrengths!, the process of thoughts causing behaviors and emotions dates backs quite a while. There are several schools of thought regarding what causes us to do what we do including evolutionary, psychophysiological, neurological, and cognitive perspectives. The GoStrengths! ETR model is based on the cognitive perspective developed largely on research by Aaron Beck, Albert Ellis, and Martin Seligman.

While the name and conceptualization of ThoughtHoles is unique to GoStrengths!, it is based largely in research by Aaron Beck. We are also grateful to the wonderful work of Karen Reivich and Andrew Shatté on the subject of resilience.

Zohar, A. H. (1999). The epidemiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder in children and adolescents. Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America.

More on the Science of Positive Psychology

Research from the field of positive psychology has laid the foundation for the GoStrengths! and GoZen! philosophy and programs. Positive psychology offers a balance to traditional psychology by going on beyond disease and disorder to focus on what is “right” with humanoids.

In the words of Chris Peterson, a pioneer in the field, “The most basic assumption that positive psychology urges is that human goodness and excellence are as authentic as disease, disorder and distress.” Watch the video to learn more.

Why teach our kids social and emotional learning skills?

A landmark review (pdf) of over 213 social and emotional learning interventions including over 270,034 kindergarten through high school students found that those students who receive SEL instruction not only had more positive attitudes about school, they also improved an average of 11 percent on standardized achievement tests compared to students who did not receive such instruction.

More questions on the science behind the programs? Email us at go@gozen.com. We’d love to chat with you!